Swingable material handling units for lift trucks



July 31, 1956 F. J. AVERY SWINGABLE MATERIAL HANDLING UNITS FOR LIFT TRUCKS Filed Dec. 28, 195] 2 Sheets-Sheet l DVVENTURI July 31, 1956 F. J. AVERY Filed Dec. 28, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 SWING ABLE MATERIAL HANDLING UNITS FOR LIFT TRUCKS ATTORNEY INVENTOR.

'2 o zontal fian'ge 23 at a point spaced from the bearing 21. As the motor 31 is expanded or contracted by admission of operating fluid to its opposite ends it will swing the supporting plate 22 about the pivot 21 to position it accurately in any desired position.

In using the device as for example, in a warehouse wherein barrels as shown at 24 are to be stacked, the truck may move straight down an aisle with the handling unit in the position shown in Figures 1 and 3. A barrel to be stacked may be carried by the clamping arms 25 and 27 at this time. When the truck reaches the desired position at which the barrel or drum is to be stacked, the parts may be swung to the position shown in Figure 4 to place the clamping arm and the barrel at one side of the truck. By controlling the motors 29 and 31, the barrel can be accurately positioned to be stacked on a barrel already in place as shown, for example, in Figure 2 in dotted lines. When the barrel is so positioned and at the required height, the clamping arms 27 and 25 may be opened to release the barrel and the clamp unit may be swung back. to the position shown in Figure 3. To remove a barrel from a stack this procedure is reversed, the clamping unit preferably being swung back to the position shown in Figure 3 after the barrel has been picked up for transporting it.

Other types of loads, such as cartons, can be handled in a similar manner. For material loaded on pallets the clamping arms 25 and 27 may be replaced by forks which Will slip under and support the pallets in the usual manner. In any case regardless of the type of load it can be quickly and accurately swung out to one side of the truck for stacking or for removing load units from stacks. In all cases, the aisle Width need be only slightly greater than the width of the truck since the truck can handle the loads accurately and quickly without being required to turn.

While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that this is illustrative only and is not to be taken as a definition of the scope of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A swingable material handling unit for mounting on the mounting plate of a lift truck comprising an arm adapted to be pivotally mounted on a vertical axis at one side of the mounting plate to project horizontally therefrom, a supporting plate pivotally mounted at the free end of the arm on a vertical axis, load engaging elements on the supporting plate to engage and support a load, a first motor connected to the arm and the mounting plate to swing the arm about its vertical axis to move the arm from a position in which the supporting plate lies substantially flat against the mounting plate to a position spaced outward from and at said one side of the mounting plate, and a second motor connected to the arm and the supporting plate to swing the supporting plate about its pivotal connection to the arm.

2. A swingable material handling unit for mounting on the mounting plate of a lift truck comprising an arm adapted to be pivotally mounted on a vertical axis at one side of the mounting plate to project horizontally therefrom, a supporting plate pivotally mounted at the free end of the arm on a vertical axis, a first motor connected to the arm and the mounting plate to swing the arm about its vertical axis to move the arm from a position in which the supporting plate lies substantially flat against the mounting plate to a position spaced outward from and at said one side of the mounting plate, a second motor connected to the arm and the supporting plate to swing the supporting plate about its pivotal connection to the arm, a pair of clamp arms mounted on the supporting plate for relative horizontal movement toward and away from each other, and a third motor on the supporting plate to move the clamp arms relatively toward and away from each other.

3. A swingable material handling unit for mounting on the mounting plate of a lift truck comprising an L shaped arm one leg of which is adapted to be mounted on a vertical axis at one side of the mounting plate with the other leg extending horizontally from its top, a vertical supporting plate having a horizontal outward projection at its top pivoted on a vertical axis to the free end of said other leg, load engaging elements carried by the supporting plate, a first motor connected to the arm and the mounting plate to swing the arm about its vertical axis to move the arm from a position in which the supporting plate lies substantially flat against the mounting plate to a position spaced outward from and at said one side of the mounting plate, and a second motor connected to the supporting plate and the arm to swing the supporting plate about its pivotal connection to the arm.

4. A swingable material handling unit for mounting on the mounting plate of a lift truck comprising an L shaped arm one leg of which is adapted to be mounted on a vertical axis at one side of the mounting plate with the other leg extending horizontally from its top, a vertical supporting plate having a horizontal outward projection at its top pivoted on a vertical axis to the free end of said other leg, an expansible fluid motor pivoted at one end to said other leg intermediate its ends and at its other end to the other side of the mounting plate to move said other leg from a position in which the supporting plate lies substantially fiat against the mounting plate to a position spaced outward from and at said one side of the mounting plate, a second expansible fluid motor connected at one end to the arm and at its other end to the supporting plate at a point spaced from its pivotal mounting on the arm, a pair of clamp arms mounted on the supporting plate for relative horizontal sliding to grip a load between them, and a motor on the supporting plate to move the clamp arms toward and away from each other.

5. In combination with a lift truck having vertical guides and a mounting plate slidable vertically on the guides, a material handling unit comprising an arm pivoted on a vertical axis at one side of the mounting plate and extending horizontally adjacent the top of the mounting plate, a supporting plate pivoted on a vertical axis at the free end of the arm, a first motor connecting the arm and the mounting plate to swing the arm about its pivot,

a second motor connecting the arm and the supporting 7 plate to swing the supporting plate about its pivotal connection to the arm, a pair of clamp arms mounted on the supporting plate for relative horizontal sliding to grip a load between them, and a motor on the supporting plate to move the clamp arms toward and away from each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,075,954 Osgood Apr. 6, 1937 1 2,272,949 Kidder Feb. 10, 1942 2,298,196 Cochran Oct. 6, 1942 2,497,118 Ferrario et al. Feb. 14, 1950 2,517,085 Cirillo Aug. 1., 1950 2,563,514 Brosamer Aug. 7, 1951 2,571,550 Ehmann Oct. 16, 1951 2,575,552 Glenn Nov. 20, 1951 2,611,498 Broersma Sept. 23, 1952 2,621,822 Melin Dec. 16, 1952 2,646,182 Maas Iuly21, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 690,736 France June 24, 1930 

